Slicing machine



July 14, 1936. c. T. WALTER SLICING MACHINE Original Filed June 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 U/Idf/ZJ'I Walter INVENTOR WIT/7:36-

ATTORNEY July 14, 1936. Q T] WAL ER 2,047,400

SLICING MACHINE Original Filed June 11. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (Ivar/es Z Wd Zzez' INVENTOR WITNESS- 26 '0- WM w A'TI'ORNEY Patented July 14, 1036 PATENT- OFFICE 2,047,406 sucmc mcnmn Charles '1'. Walter, Chicago, 11].; assignor, by

meme assignments, to Industrial Patents Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Original application June 11, 1931, Serial No. 543,499. Divided and this application June 20,

1935, Serial No. 27,487. 1931 In Canada July 11,

21 Claims. (Cl. 146-94) This invention relates to a new and improved slicing machine and has particular usefulness when embodied in that type of machine employed for slicing food stufis such as bacon or.

similar products.

This application is a division of my copending application entitled Slicing machine, Serial No.

' 543,499, flied June 11, 1931.

In practice, it is desirable in many instances, to slice articles of food, such as bacon and the like, for packaging or other purposes, in such manner that a plurality oi slices will fall togather in ofiset relationship to provide a group ceeding slice falling in immediate contact with the other slices and the necessity for special handling of the slices in segregating and appropriating a group of slices desired as a single portion.

Furthermore, as in the case of slicing for packaging purposes, manual operations are re-.- quired in order to provide the desirable offset.

relationship between adjacent slices of a single Obviously this special handling may be accomplished in various ways but, in practice, it has been customary to provide an operator at the discharge end oi the machine, who collects approximately the number of slices constituting a single group or portion, in a receiving pan after which the pan is quickly removed and the operation repeated.

In packaging operations, it is necessary to -manually arrange each slice in a group with respect to the other slices which requires much time and skill and consequent expense, and in cases where it is desirable to avoid touching the food articles with the human hands, this tedious and slow operation is performed by means of implements; such as forceps, spatula and the like, held by the operators which is even more dimcult and expensive.

Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide a slicing machine which is fentirely automatic in character and which will provide by rapid operation a succession of any desired numberof slices automatically positioned in predetermined offset relationship with respect to each other to provide a group of slices and in addition provide a succession of such groups with a predetermined spacing between adjacent groups.

The accomplishment of this object results in the provision of a plurality of groups of slices with spacing between each group whereby each group is segregated and presented in a manner for subsequent packaging or handling purpose.

The machine of this invention comprises as three essential elements a cutting blade, an ar-. ticle holder and feeder, and a receiving conveyor, all of which are adapted for synchronized operation to produce the desired slicing and offsetting above mentioned. In addition to the above elements, this invention includes mechanism driven in synchronism-with the above named elements which is operative upon any one or more of said three coacting elements to alter the usual synchronized operation therebetweenand to establish for a limited period a different timing relationship for producing the spacing between the groups of slices. This lastnamed mechanism is a control mechanism and will be referred to as such in this specification.

It is contemplated that the control mechan'ism shall be capable of adjustment so as to provide any desired ofiset relationship between the slices of a single group and any desired spacing between groups of any desired number of slices according to the particular type of operation practiced.

In operation, the cutting blade acts intermittently upon the article being sliced so that by altering the relationship between the rate oi feed of the latter and the period of the knife the thickness of the slices may be varied.

By means of the timing device of this invention, the grouping of slices may be provided by any one of several methods. For the purpose of explanation, the article holding element and the cutting blade may be considered as a slicing unit and the conveyor as a conveying unit and it will be appreciated that any alteration between the timed relation of these two units will vary the offsetting and spacing between the slices and groups of slices received on the con veyor. Consequently, the desired grouping may be provided by either altering the relationship of the slicing unit to the conveying unit in so far as their cooperative positions are concerned or while maintaining their positions, interrupting the action of the slicing unit while permitting the normal advancement of the conveyor.

In the first alternative, the cutting unit may be bodily displaced with respect to the conveyor so as to produce a new relationship productive -of the desired grouping action or the advancing movement of the conveyor may be varied such as, for instance, by momentarily increasing the speed to provide the desired space between adiacent groups while the cutting unit proceeds at the normal rate.

According to the second alternative, the slicing unit is mounted in fixed position with respect to the conveyor which is adapted to travel at a uniform rate of speed and the separation between groups of slices may be obtained by periodically interrupting the delivery of slices from the slicing unit which may include stopping the feeding .action of the material to be sliced with respect to the support of the slicing unit and, in addition, producing relative movement between the rotating knife and the material to be sliced to prevent chipping of small pieces.

Consequently, the present invention, in its broadest aspect, relates to a machine entirely automatic in character which comprises as essential elements the cutting blade, the article holder and the conveyor, together with means for normally driving these coacting elements in a predetermined synchronized relationship and, in addition, a controlling mechanism which operates to alter said predetermined synchronized relationship in a desired manner to produce a space between groups of any desired number of slices with the slices of each group in a predetermined oifset relationship.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following description taken in connection with the embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings.

In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in the drawings, the material is fed toward the knife by an intermittently rotatable screw shaft and in this form the means which produces the intermittent rotation of the screw shaft may berendered periodically ineffective and simultaneously the knife bodily moved away from the material to be sliced to prevent chipping.

In the drawings which accompany this speciflcation and made a part hereof, similar characters of reference in the several figures indicate identical parts.

Referring now to the drawings:

Figure l is a side view, partly in section, of the slicing machine forming the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side view of the driving end of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view, taken on line A-A of Figure 2.

An appropriate angle iron foundation frame IOI is provided to rigidly hold the machine in the position shown. The conveyor 92 which receives the slices from the slicing machine is-shown diagrammatically as an endless belt operating over pulleys as 91. The machine parts are mounted on a frame consisting of a bed plate I02 integral with the knife end bearing truss I03 and the driving end bearing truss I04. Knife I05 is rigidly mounted on shaft I06 at I01, being held in position by appropriate means such as hub plate I08 secured to the knife by nuts I09, IIO, III and H2. The shoulder H3 is integral with hub plate I08, and the hub is secured to the shaft I06 by nut II4. Shaft I00 is journalled in bearing II! mounted on truss I03, and s aft I00 passes through truss I04 at II6. Sh. I06 is slidably mounted in worm wheel II1 otatably mounted in ball bearings H8 and H9 in a 5 manner such that the end thrusts of the worm wheel II1 are transmitted thereto. A conventional bacon clamp consisting of lower jaws I rigidly attached to housing I2l carrying nut I22 operated by handle I23, and. upper jaws I24 in- 10 tegral with handle I25 mounted on shaft I26 at I21, grips product I28 between points I29 and I30 of jaws I20 and I24. Half-nut I22 rides on feed screw I3I and during the slicing operation propels the product toward the revolving knife 15 I05. Worm wheel II1 meshes with worm I32. Worm I32 is driven by motor I33 through flexible coupling I34. 7 Worm wheel H1 is slidably keyed to shaft I08 by key I35 and turns shaft I06. Housing I26 encloses worm wheel II1, worm I32 and bearings I18 and H9. Shaft I06 passes through cover I31 of housing I36 at I38 at which point is placed oil seal I39. Spur gear I40 is rigidly afiixed to shaft I06 at I. Gear I40 meshes with spur gear I42. Gear I42 is rotat- 25 ably mounted on spindle I43 which is supported by frame lug I44. Pinion I45 is rigidly attached to gear I42. Pinion I45 meshes with spur gear I4 6. Spur gear I46 is rotatably mounted on spindle I41 which is supported by frame lug I48. 30 Cam I49 is rigidly affixed to one face I50 of gear I46. Cam I49 presents a radial cam contour I5I and an axial cam contour I52. Crank arm I53 is rigidly afixed at the end I 54 of shaft I06; connecting rod I55 is pivotally mounted to crank 35 I63 through crank pin I56. Connecting rod I55 is pivotally mounted at its opposite end to pawl lever I51 by pin I58. Pawl lever I51 is rotatably mounted about feed screw I3I and carries at its opposite end pawl I 59 which is pivoted on pin I60. 40 Pin I60 is rigidly affixed to pawl lever I51. Pawl I60 cooperates with ratchet I6I. Ratchet I6I is'rigidly affixed to feed screw I3I. Spring I62 urges pawl I59 into contact with ratchet I6I. Pawl I59 carries at its opposite end roller I63, 45 pivotally mounted on pin I64 which is rigidly affixed to pawl I59. Arm I65 forms an arcuate track pivoted on pin I66. Pin I66 is rigidly aflixed to plate I61. Arm I65 is provided with a fixed or integral arm I68 on the opposite end of which is 50 rigidly afllxed pin I69 upon which is rotatably mounted roller I10. Roller I10 is at all times in contact with radial cam surface I5I and is here shown in contact with segment I" of radial cam surface I5I. In this position, arm I65 contacts 5 with roller I63, disengaging pawl I59 from the ratchet I6I. When the rotation of cam I5I moves segment "I out of contact with roller I69, spring I12 withdraws arm I65 from contact with roller I63, permitting spring I62 to urge pawl I59 6 into engagement with ratchet I6I. Spring I12 is rigidly affixed at one end to pin I13 which is rigidly aflixed to plate I61. Spring I12 is rigidly afllxed at its other end to the free end of arm I65.

As knife shaft I06 rotates in the direction of 65 the arrow, it carries pin I56 about it in a circle, which circular motion causes'pawl lever I51 to oscillate about its mounting on feed screw shaft I3I. Depending on the positions of arcuate track I65, pawl I59 will or will not engage ratchet wheel 70 I6I. Also, as knife shaft I06 rotates, it causes cam I5I to rotate through the medium of gears I46, I45, I42 and I40. It is important that the gear ratio between the speed of knife shaft I06 and cam I5I be a whole number.

.Buppose cam I8I be designed on the basis of delivering nine successive slices of product followed by a dwell of five revolutions of the knife shaft during which no product is being sliced, thus giving a cycle of fourteen revolutions of the knife shaft and necessarily one cam revolution.

It follows that the speed ratio between the knife shaft and the cam is 14 to 1. On this basis. segment "I will represent flve-fourteenths of 360 degrees, and it is this segment that causes roller I10 to urge arcuate track I65 into contact with \pawl roller I68, preventing pawl I58 from engaging with ratchet wheel I6 I. During that portion of the cam revolution in which segment "I is in contact with roller I10, no slices will be delivered by the machine. During the remaining nine-fourteenths of the revolutionof cam III, spring I12 causes arcuate track I68 to be withdrawn into the position indicated by the broken line I14. While arcuate track I65 is in position I14, slices will be delivered by themachine.

Rigidly attached to knife shaft I06 is collar I15 provided with groove I16. Yoke I11 carries pins I18 and I19 which operate in conjunction with groove I18 in collar I15. Pins I18 and I19 ire rigidly mounted in yoke I11 in such a manner as to have their axes in line with each other. The yoke is mounted so that the axial line of pins I18 and I15 approximately coincides with a diameter of shaft I06. Pins I18 and I18 extend inwardly of groove I16, leaving a working clearance at the bottom of groove I16. One end of yoke I11 is pivoted on pin I80 which pin I80 is rigidly attached to bracket I8I. Bracket I8I is rigidly aflixed to base plate I61. The opposite end of yoke I11 carries pin I82 upon which is rotatably mounted roller I88 Roller I83 rides on the axial cam surface I62. Spring I88 is fixed at one end to yoke I11 at I85 and at the other end to cover plate I31 at I86. Spring I84 pulls the yoke I11 and its cooperating parts in the direction of cover plate I31 so that roller I83 is constantly kept in contact with axial cam surface I52.

Axial cam surface I52 presents lobe I81 which braces an arc of nine-fourteenths of 360 deees. When lobe I81 is in contact with roller ire I11 operating through pins I 18 and I19 g vaved collar I15 on shaft I06 is holding knife I in the proper cutting relationship to table edge I88. After lobe I81 passes out of contact with roller I83, the roller I83 rides on the remaining five-fourteenths of the 360 degrees of axial cam surface I52, during which time knife 505 is dropped out of slicing position bythe action of gravity and spring I84. This is done to ainimize the tendency to produce shavings. The transition from lobe I 81 to the lower section of the axial surface I52 should be accomplished in less than one knife revolution.

It is to be understood that my invention is not restricted to the specific constructions shown which are merely illustrative of the principles of my invention and many modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. In a bacon slicing machine in combination a main frame, means for supporting a slab of bacon and moving it forwardly in a longitudinal direction whereby normal periodic successive transverse slicing operations can be carried out thereupon, a transversely movable cutter located at the forward portion of the machine, a longitudinally extending shaft for operating and carrying said cutter so as to effect said successive transverse cutting operations, a longitudinally extending feed screw shaft having a nut member associated therewith and movable along the same, said movable nut member having means for engaging and controlling the feed of bacon slabsduring the longitudinal movement thereof, a continuously rotating common operating shaft, means for continuously rotating said cutter carrying and operating shaft from said common operating shaft, means comprising reducing speed gearing for rotating the feed screw shaft from said common operating shaft but at a slower speed than the cutter carrying and operating shaft, said speed reducing gearing having associated therewith and continuously operated thereby a cam member, said slicing machine also having mechanism associated with said longitudinally extending feed screw shaft and under the control of said cam for intermittently rotating the feed screw shaft for causing a periodic cessation of the normal forward feeding movement into slab cutting position of the nut member in respect to said cutter, said slicing machine mechanism also'being constructed so that it comprehends in association with said cam a member for effecting a relative shifting of the feed screw shaft and the cutter shaft at intervals whereby at the end of a series of normal cutting operationsand due to said shifting movement there is effected a relative separation in a longitudinal direction as between the slab of bacon being sliced and the cutter normally operating thereupon to produce non-cutting periods at intervals.

2. In combination in a bacon slicing machine a main frame supporting a base member along which bacon slabs are fed in a forwardly longitudinal direction, a transversely operating outter located at the forward end of the machine,

a longitudinally extending cutter operating shaft for actuating said cutter in a manner to effect normal successive cutting operations as a bacon slab is fed forwardly to the cutter during the normal cutting operation, a longitudinally extending feed screw shaft, a bacon slabengaging I member associated with a nut member that in turn is actuated by and from said feed screw shaft, a constantly rotating common operating shaft, means for continuously rotating the cutter operating shaft from said common operating shaft, means comprising reducing gearing and pawl and ratchet mechanism for rotating step by step said feed screw shaft from said common operating shaft but at a slower speed than said cutter operating shaft, said speed reducing gearing having associated therewith a constantly rotating cam element, a lever associated with said cutter operating shaft and said cam element for periodically moving to a non-cutting position said cutter operating shaft in a forwardly longitudinal direction and thereby moving said cutter from and ahead of its normal cutting position, said speed reducing gearing also having an associated second cam element which is operatively associated with a member of the pawl and ratchet mechanism, which second cam element normally allows said pawl and ratchet mechanism to actuate said feed screw so as to effect the step by step rotation thereof, but which second cam is constructed so as to ensure non-cutting periodic disengagement as between the pawl and ratchet of said pawl and ratchet mechanism whereby no step by step feeding of the feed screw takes place when the cutter occupies its non-cutting position.

3. A slicing machine wherein and whereby a slab is automatically subjected to successive series of slicing operations, said slicing machine comprising in combination and having a continuously rotating knife, a conveyor arranged to receive slices cut by the said knife, 1:. continuous operating means for the knife, means for feeding slabs of material transversely to the plane of retation of said knife including a feed screw, pawl and ratchet means operable from said continuous operating means and constructed and arranged for operating said screw shaft, and means operable from said continuously operating means for periodically rendering the pawl and ratchet means ineffective to interrupt the feeding movement of the slab of material towards the knife and for thereby producing a non-cutting period after each series of slicing operations.

4. In a slicing machine, a fixed support, a rotatable knife, driving means for rotating the knife, a holder for the material to be sliced slidable transversely to the plane of rotation of said knife, a screw shaft in threaded engagement with said holder, intermittently operable means operated from said driving means for rotating said shaft to advance said holder towards said knife, means operable from said driving means for periodically rendering the action of said intermittently operated means ineffective, and means actuated from said driving means for periodically moving said knife axially away from said holder.

5. In a meat slicing machine, a frame, a cutting element, a rotatable and axially movable shaft to which the cutting element is secured, means for rotating said shaft, a feed screw shaft rotatably mounted in the frame, a change speed gearing and a pawl and ratchet mechanism operatively connecting said shafts to rotate the feed screw shaft at a lower speed than the speed of rotation of said cutting element shaft, a meat slab holder slidably mounted in the frame and having threaded connection with the feed screw shaft for feed of the slab to operative position with relation to the cutting element, means including a cam member and an element pivoted on said frame to actuate said pawl and ratchet mechanism to intermittently rotate the feed screw shaft to feed the slab holder step by step to slicing position with relation to said cutting element, and means operated from said cam member and operatively connected with the cutting element shaft for periodically moving said cutting element shaft axially to move said cutting element temporarily away from and ahead of operative slicing position.

6. In a meat slicing machine, a frame, a cutting element, a rotatable and axially movable shaft to which the cutting element is secured, means for rotating said shaft, a feed screw shaft rotatably mounted in the frame, a change speed gearing and a pawl and ratchet mechanism operatively connectingsaid shafts to rotate the feed screw shaft at a lower speed than the speed of rotation of said cutting element shaft, a meat slab holder slidably mounted in the frame and having threaded connection with the feed screw shaft for feed of the slab to operative position with relation to the cutting element-means including a cam member and an element pivoted on said frame to actuate said pawl and ratchet mechanism to intermittently rotate the feed screw shaft to feed the slab' holder step by step to slicing position with relation to said cutting element, and means operated from said cam member and operatively connected with the cutting element shaft .for periodically moving said cutting element shaft axially to move said cutting element temporarily away from and ahead of operative slicing position and subsequently operating to return the cutting element andits shaft to normal operative slicing position with relatio to the meat slab.

7. In a meat slicing machine, a frame, a cutting element, a rotatable and axially movable shaft to which the cutting element is secured, means for rotating said shaft, 9, feed screw shaft rotatably mounted in the frame, a change speed gearing and apawl and ratchet mechanism operatively connecting said shafts to rotate the feed screw shaft at a lower speed, than the speed of rotation of said cutting element shaft, 9. meat slab holderpslidably mounted in the frame and having threaded connection with the feed screw shaft for feed of the slab to operative position with relation to the cutting element, means including a cam member and an element pivoted on said frame to actuate said pawl and ratchet mechanism to intermittently rotate the feed screw shaft to feed the slab holder step by step to slicing position with relation to said cutting element, and means including a pivoted element having operative connection with the cutting element shaft and operatively engaged by said cam member for actuation by the latter to periodically axially move said cutting element shaft to move the cutting element out of operative slicing Position with relation to the meat slab and to subsequently return said cutting element to normal operative slicing position.

8; In a meatslicing machine, a frame, a cutting element, a rotatable and axially movable shaft to which the cutting element is secured, means for rotating said shaft, a feed screw shaft rotatably mounted in the frame, a change speed gearing and a pawl and ratchet mechanism operatively connecting said shafts to rotate the feed screw shaft at a lower speed than the speed of rotation of said cutting element shaft, a meat slab holder slidably mounted in the frame and having threaded connection with the feed screw shaft for feed of the slab to operative position with relation to the cutting element, means including a cam member and an element pivoted on said frame to actuate said pawl and ratchet mechanism to intermittently rotate the feed screw shaft to feed the slab holder step by step to slicing position with relation to said cutting element, and means including a pivoted element having operative connection with the cutting element shaft and operatively engaged by said cam member for actuation by the latter to periodically axially move said cutting element shaft to move the cutting element out of operative slicing position with relation to the meat slab and to subsequently return said cutting element to normal operative slicing position, said pawl and ratchet mechanism being rendered ineffective by said pivoted member to arrest feed of. the meat slab while the cutting element is out of operative slicing position.

9. In a slicing machine, a support, a shaft, a rotary cutter mounted on said shaft, means associated with said support for feeding the material to the cutter, drive means for. said cutter and said feeding means. and means connected aosaso'o rupt said feeding means during with said drive means including cams for moving the cutter axially from and toward the cutting plane of the material fed thereto to periodically interrupt the cutting operation and for periodically interrupting said feeding means during the non-cutting periods of. said cutter.

10. In a slicing machine, a support, a shaft, a rotary cutter mounted on said shaft, means including a ratchet and pawl mechanism associated with said support for intermittently feeding material to the cutter, drive means for said cutter and said feeding means, and means connected with said drive means including cams for movingv the cutter axially from and toward the cutting plane of the material fed thereto to periodically interrupt the cutting operation and for periodically moving said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet to interrupt said feeding means during the non-cutting periods of said cutter.

11. In a slicing machine, a support, a shaft, a rotary cutter mounted on saidshaft, means including a nut and screw shaft and a ratchet and pawl mechanism associated with said support for intermittently feeding material to the cutter, drive means for said cutter and said feeding means, and means connected with said drive means including cams for moving the cutter axially from and toward the cutting plane of the material fed thereto. to periodically interrupt the cutting operation and for periodically moving said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet to interrupt said feeding means during the noncutting periods of said cutter.

12. In a. slicing machine, a support, a shaft axially movable in said support, a rotary cutter mounted on said shaft, means associated with said support for feeding material to the cutter, drive means for said cutter and said feeding means, and means connected with said drive means including cams, one of said cams being operably connected with said shaft to axially move said cutter from and toward the cutting plane of the material fed thereto to periodically interrupt the cutting operation and the other of said cams being operable to periodically interrupt said feeding means during the non-cutting periods of said cutter.

13. In a slicing machine, a support, a shaft axially movable in said support, a rotary cutter. mounted on said shaft, an arm connected to said shaft, means associated with said support for feeding material to the cutter, drive means for said cutter and said feeding means, and means connected with said drive means including cams, one of said cams being operable to engage said arm to axially move said cutter from and toward the cutting plane of the material fed thereto to periodically interrupt the cutting operation and the other of said cams being operable to periodically interrupt said feeding means during the non-cutting periods of said cutter.

14. In a slicing machine, a support, a shaft axially movable in said support, a rotary cutter mounted on said shaft, an arm pivotally connected to said support and said shaft, means associated with said support for feeding material to the cutter, and means including cams connected with said drive means, one of said cams being operable to engage said arm to axially move said cutter from and toward the-cutting plane of the material fed thereto to periodically interrupt the cutting operation and the other of said cams being operable to periodically intermounted on saidshai't,- an arm connected with s I said shaft, means including a ratchet and pawl mechanism associated with said support for m termittently feeding material to the cutter, drive means for said cutter'and said'feeding means,- and means including cams connected withsaid drivemeans, one of said cams being operable to engage said arm to axially. move said cutter from and toward the cutting plane of the, material fed thereto toperiodically interrupt the cute ting operation and the other of said 'camsbeing 15 operable to periodically move said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet to interrupt said feeding means during the non-cutting periods of saidcutter.

16. In a slicing machine, a support, a shaft axially movable in said support, a rotary cutter mounted on said shaft, an arm pivotally connected to said support and said shaft, means including a nut and screw and a ratchet and pawl mechanism associated with said support for 25 intermittently feeding material tothe cutter, drive means for said cutter and said feeding means, and means including cams connected with said drive means, one of said cams being operable to engage said arm to axially move said cutter from and toward the cutting plane of the material fed thereto to periodically interrupt the cutting operationand the other of said cams being op rable to periodically move said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet to interrupt the feed- 35 ing means during the non-cutting periods of said cutter.

17. In a slicing machine, a support, a shaft, a rotary cutter mounted on saidshaft, means as-- sociated with said support for feeding material to the cutter, drive means for said cutter and said feeding means, and means connected with said drive means including a rotary element having an axialjcam surface and a'radial cam surface, said ,axialcam surface being operable to move said cutter from and toward the cutting plane of the material fed thereto to periodically interrupt the cutting operation and said radial cam surface being operable to periodically interrupt said feeding means during the non-cutting periods of said cutter. t

18. In a slicing machine, a support, a shaft axially movable in said support, a rotary cutter mounted on said shaft, an arm connected with said shaft, means including a ratchet and pawl mechanism associated with said support for intermittently feeding material to the cutter, drive means for said cutter and said feeding means, and means including a rotary element having an axial cam surface and a radial cam surface 60 connected with said drive means, said axial cam surface being operable to engage said arm to axially move said cutter shaft to move said cutter from and toward the cutting plane of the material fed thereto to periodically interrupt the 65 cutting operation and said radialcam surface being operable to periodically move said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet to interrupt said feeding means during the non-cutting periods of said cutter. 70

19. In a slicing machine, a support, a shaft, a rotary cuttermounted on said shaft, means including a ratchet and pawl mechanism associated with said support for feeding the material to the cutter, an arcuate-shaped track member 75 said axial cam surface-being operable to move said cutter from and toward the cutting plane of the material fed thereto to periodically interrupt the cutting operation and said radial cam surface being engageable with said track member to periodically move said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet to interrupt said feeding means during the non-cutting periods of said cutter.

20. In a slicing machine, a support, a shaft, a rotary cutter mounted on said shaft, means including a ratchet and pawl mechanism associated with said support for intermittently feeding material to said cutter, an arcuate-shaped track member pivotally connected with said support operable to move said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet, drive means for said cutter and said feeding means, and means connected with said drive means including cams, one of said cams being operable to axially move said cutter from and toward the cutting plane of the material fed thereto to periodically interrupt the cutting operation and the other of said cams being engageable with said track member to periodically move said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet to interrupt said feeding means during the non-cutting periods of said cutter. 10

21. In a slicing machine, a support, a shaft, a rotary cutter mounted on said shaft, means associated with said support for feeding the material to the cutter, means including cams for moving the cutter axially from and toward the 15 cutting plane of the material fed thereto to periodically interrupt the cutting operation and for periodically interrupting said feeding means during the non-cutting periods of said cutter, and means for driving said cutter, said feeding means 2 and said cams.

CHARLES T. WALTER. 

